Curious Case of Rhae Sparda
by A.Nathan.P.S
Summary: "I am no ordinary woman. My dreams come true." - Daenerys Targaryen, Game of Thrones. In which the world is not what it seems. Every fact is a multi-layered lie.
1. Extended Summary

_[SUMMARY!]_

_CURIOS CASE OF RHAE SPARDA_

"_They should have checked the ashes  
of the woman, they burned alive.  
Because it takes a single wild ember  
to bring a whole wildfire to life.__**"**_

_**-**__Nikita Gill, Wild Embers_

∞_RHAE_ was just your typical American girl who loved to be with her friends and be free. Though her blood said otherwise, she was a Sparda, a descendant of the oldest family of witches and warlocks. Her parents who died when she was a baby left her in her aunties care, Celine and Mary. Her memories of her parents were just a single photograph, Rhae in her mother's arm.

_SHE_ left behind the ground where she was born so that she could be on her aunties care. She left behind her land, her friend, and her memories there. In the evening where Rhae would become sixteen, she had to go back to her home town to finally join her family. Her black ascendence was coming and she was beginning to question the bane of her existence.

_LUCKILY _for her, Rhae was surrounded by family that would help her which side she would choose. But it all comes down to her hands, will she give in to her ascendence or give it up and live a mortal life. Only time will tell.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BLEACH. I ONLY OWN RHAE, CELINE AND MARY, AND THE PLOT THAT MINGLES WITH BLEACH. THE OTHER CHARACTERS AND THE ORIGINAL PLOT BELONGS TO TITE KUBO. DO NOT DO PLAGIARISM, IT IS A CRIME!

WARNING: THIS STORY CONTAINS GORE, VIOLENT SCENE, AND BLOOD. SO IF YOU FEEL SQUEAMISH ABOUT THE THREE OF THOSE, SKIP THIS STORY IMMEDIATELY.


	2. Cast

_[CAST!]_

_CURIOUS CASE OF RHAE SPARDA_

"**NO I AM NOT HERMIONE GRANGER, I DON'T OWN A WAND AND I DON'T FLY ON A BROOM. YOU CERTAINLY DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT WITCHES."**

_**JODIE COMER AS RHAE SPARDA | "**__THE MAGE__**"**_

"_I MISS THE CLEVER SIDE OF YOU.__**"**_

_**LENA HEADEY AS CELINE SPARDA | "**__THE PROTECTOR__**"**_

"_SHE ANNOYED ME! SO I KILLED HER AND BURIED HER IN THE YARD.__**"**_

_**RINKO KIKUCHI AS MARY SPARDA | "**__THE DREAMER__**"**_

"_I OUTRANK YOU IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.__**"**_

_**ALFRED ENOCH AS ADISA SPARDA | "**__BLADE__**"**_

"_I WENT NEVILLE LONGBOTTOM WHEN IT COMES TO PUBERTY.__**"**_

_**NICK ROBINSON AS BILL "BILLY" SMITH | "**__THE AVENGER"_

"_I WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO KEEP YOU SAFE, IMPOSSIBLE GIRL.__**"**_

_**RY**__**Ô**__** YOSHIZAWA AS URY**__**Ū**__** ISHIDA | "**__CLUELESS__**"**_

"_WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU WHEN I WAS NOT AROUND?__**"**_

_**RYOMA TAKEUCHI AS MIZUIRO KOJIMA** | "PALADIN__"_

"_IF YOU LIVE IN MY WORLD, KUROSAKI, NOTHING MAKES SENSE ANYMORE.__**"**_

_**MASAKI SUDA AS KEIGO ASANO | "**__THE SIDEKICK__**"**_

"_THE THING ABOUT PEOPLE IS THAT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM HAS A MASK ON. EVEN YOU.__**"**_

_**TOM HIDDLESTON AS URAHARA KISUKE | "**__MYSTERY MAN__**"**_

"_THERE ARE NO LIMITS TO WHAT I WILL DO TO HELP YOU.__**"**_

DISCLAIMER: DUE TO MY PLOT THAT HEAVILY REFERENCE TO SO MANY POP CULTURE, THE BLEACH TIMELINE WAS MOVED FROM 2001 TO PRESENT DAY. SO GET READY FOR SOME MAJOR REFERENCE THROUGHOUT THE STORY.


	3. Part 1

_MAGE-WOMAN_

_[PART ONE. PILOT]_

_Ø_

'_Listen to me when I say__  
__This will never go away__  
__Hide, hide_

_Listen to me when I say__  
__They will never go away__  
__Run, run_

_Welcome to the jungle__**'**_

∞_TOMMEE PROFITT_


	4. Prologue

_THE _town of Karakura was the centre of every spiritual event that had transcended over the years. Stories of Soul Reaper, Hollows, Quincies, and Fullbringers, were notorious in this part of Japan. People who went missing left and right were an everyday case and considered normal to society. However, certain species didn't want to mingle with spiritual beings.

In the age where witches were hunted left and right, some witch hide from mortals while others went to fight them. It was no easy battle and they eventually lost, outnumbered by the mortals. The witches had no other choice than hiding from them. They bewitched the mind of mortals and spiritual beings alike to forge false memories, erasing themselves from history.

Hiding from the mortals, the witches built secret societies or coven to protect themselves of threats from beyond. Karakura was one of the cities that the witches built for the coven. Even though they didn't want to mingle with others, witches oversee the activities of every spirit in the name of the coven.

They blend themselves well in the eye of Karakura citizens, acting as a good neighbour with a proper family. But behind closed doors, they went with their usual routine of a witch or warlock. The covens flourished for centuries with no outside contact.

Or did they?


	5. Pilot

_THE _Sparda family were on a hectic day this morning. On the night of August 31st, Rhae was going to have a dark ascendence. On the age of sixteen, every young witches and warlock had to sign their name in the red book so that they could serve the Dark Lord. Her mother done it, her grandmother done it, and now it was time for Rhae to sign it.

"Every Sparda had done it and you shall too." Her aunt Celine had said that night.

But somehow Rhae did not share the same sentiment with her aunt. She knew that this was important to witches yet she couldn't leave her friends just like that. She didn't know why after an ascendence she had to cut ties with mortals or why her ceremony was held in a land so far away. She thought that her ascendence would have to take place here, in San Fransisco. Lady luck was not on her side because she had to travel to Japan for her ascendence.

She had to leave her friends for this because she didn't have any choice. Her aunties had been planning her dark ascendence when she was still a baby. All she could do now is to honour the plan and do her duty. But she couldn't help but wonder if this was what she wanted. She hadn't had time to question such to her aunt since tonight would be the time where she leaves for Japan. Hence the various flying object of antique vases, books, and paintings, were packed into boxes.

A Vera Lynn song was playing in her home. Various ingredients such as dried herbs and meat were packed safely, leaving the cupboard empty. She took a Nutella jar and a spoon that was floating and waiting to be pack. She snacked on the chocolate like any other day sans the commotion of the usual busy morning. She sat on one of the counters and reminiscence of her fifteen years living in the house.

Her eyes trailed towards the ghost of her five years old self that was painting on the kitchen floor. Her aunt Celine had busted her in the middle of her activities while her other aunt, Mary, was taking pictures of the incident. Celine's fury was redirected to Mary, saying that she had coddled Rhae too much. Rhae, however, was oblivious of it all and continue to paint to her heart content.

Another memory appeared in front of her. This time it was about her cousin, Adisa, who wanted to befriend with a mortal. Adisa, at that time, wanted to join his mortal friends watching a movie at the local theatre. However, aunt Celine didn't allow it. The Sparda names would get dirty, she said.

"A Sparda doesn't relate themselves with mortals. You are a Sparda so act like one."

Adisa relented to his aunt's wish with a few consequences. For a whole week, Adisa rebelled to his aunt. He invited a few ghosts to haunt the house for a week. He even bartered a few of aunt Celine's belongings for a few coins. It annoyed Celine to no end, yet Rhae couldn't say the same for Adisa. But the most hilarious one was the time where he infested the kitchen with exploding frogs. Sure Adisa was punished for it because he had to clean up the mess with the rest of the family. However, that night might be Rhae's favourite memory excluding the blood and stench that she couldn't get it out for weeks, since Adisa, Rhae, Mary, and even Celine share a few laughs here and there that night.

Her vision, however, was blocked by a lanky chocolate man. Adisa had caught her using a memory charm while she wasn't allowed to do magic before she was sixteen. But before he could reprimand her, his line of vision was greeted by a younger ghost of him scrubbing the tile floor of the kitchen, aunt Celine's watchful eyes on him.

He let himself be washed away by the nostalgic feeling and found that Rhae was doing the same thing. It wasn't easy for the both of them, Rhae who need to left her friends behind while Adisa who was born and raised here have to follow her. He was a family man, even though he didn't want to admit it. Adisa had enough of memory here that he was willing to travel elsewhere when his aunts wished it that way. He, however, was not a blind man for Rhae didn't share his sentiment.

Rhae had doubts in her mind even though she didn't voice it. He could tell that she had thought of it. The perks of being able to read minds, Adisa thought. But he couldn't let her live in the past and finally stepped in front of her, blocking her view of the projected memory.

"You're in the way, Adisa," Rhae said without looking at his eyes.

She still munched the chocolate, waiting for Adisa to step. Adisa, however, didn't budge a bit. So Rhae didn't have much choice, she looked up to him and glared. Amusement danced in his coal eyes, Rhae first noticed. That cocky smile of his was on display and only adding the burn to the fire. Even though Adisa always annoyed her to no end, she knew that she loved him. As a family, of course, she would never swing that way.

"Aunt 'line is asking you from upstairs. Now, I see why you would be deaf."

Adisa took hold of her new spoonful of Nutella and ate it, challenging her for it. Rhae only threw her middle finger for him while he only chuckled at her antics. Suddenly, they heard someone shout Rhae's name from upstairs. The two of them grew quite a bit, this scene played the same way when they were little. Rhae and Adisa played around the kitchen while Celine reprimanded both of them for littering the kitchen. Mary was in the background, chopping up a few ingredients for the dinner.

Oh, she was going to miss San Fransisco. The sunrise was what she was going to miss the most. The orange colour of the sun would reflect the open sea and the Golden Gate Bridge. Her neighbours and particularly her friends whom she will miss the most. Celine shouted Rhae's name once more, bringing her back to reality.

She went down from the counter and began to make her way out of the kitchen. The projected memories return to dust with a snap of her fingers. Tapping Adisa in the shoulder, his focus went from the chocolate to Rhae's lingering finger.

"Save some for me, asshole."

Adisa only saluted her but she knew that he wouldn't do that. The jar of Nutella was doomed once it reached Adisa's hand. Once chocolate fall in the hand of a Sparda, it would vanish in a flick of a hand. Rhae ascended the stair and marched towards her room where her aunt was. She leaned on the spine of the door and scanned her room.

It was almost bare sans the photos of her friends when they were on a summer vacation. Her aunt, Celine, was rechecking Rhae's belongings so that nothing was left behind. Since she was forbidden to use magic by the coven, Rhae needed to pack the way mortals do. It was exhausting and troublesome, yet she found joy in doing so. Noticing her arrival, aunt Celine looked towards her and crossed her arms.

"Aunt Celine, do you need something for me?"

"Yes sweetie, what are we going to do with these pictures?"

Aunt Celine point towards the photos that hang on the wall. She wanted to take the pictures with her to Japan but didn't know how aunt Celine would react. With Japan being so far away from San Fransisco, her pictures would suffice her heartaches. Smoke waft across the room and Rhae noticed that aunt Celine had lit a cigarette. Rhae hated her aunt Celine's habit of smoking. She knew that it wouldn't bring harm to witches still she couldn't stand the smell of it. Celine, however, smoked to her heart content.

Aunt Celine inspected every picture in her bedroom. Her aunt smirked at a picture of Rhae and one of her friends Joe. They were hugging sideways with Joe's lips kissing her cheeks. Celine could feel Rhae's embarrassment radiating from the picture. The next photo was a familiar one. It was of Rhae and her parents. A photo that they had taken before that terrible accident that took their life, leaving Rhae in her care.

She took the photo in her hands and tried to remember Rhae's mother. Eve Sparda, the most respected witch of her generation. Her questions shook the foundation of the coven made her notorious. Her achievement of shaking the base of her coven was heard by the Dark Lord. She would have been the first high priestess if she wasn't buried six feet on the ground. Till this day, Rhae's mother still one of the most respected witches in the coven and they expected the same from Rhae.

And Celine wanted the coven's wishes granted.

"I like this one but burn the rest of the photos, Rhae."

Rhae gasped in disbelief and stomped her way towards her aunt. She ripped the photo that was in Celine's hand and yanked out the rest on the wall. Rhae knew that aunt Celine loved the drama of it all, a Sparda always loved to be extra in everything they do but this had gone too far. It wasn't aunt Celine's choice on what to do with her belongings, Rhae thought. She was ripped off of her friends and her home in San Fransisco at least Rhae could keep the photos. Well her hope was crushed that day.

She gripped the photos on her chest so tight that they were wrinkled a bit. Rhae didn't care, however. She would keep it safe as long as she still lives. No one can touch it and harm it. She was a bit possessive when it comes to memories. Celine, however, merely rolled her eyes. She couldn't see why Rhae was so attached to her mortal friends. Being a witch was so much simpler for her. Pesky mortals that Rhae called friends were getting in Rhae's duty as a witch.

Rhae's dark ascendence is coming. She would need to forget her mortal friends after it. However, Rhae's memory was getting in the way. Aunt Celine had noticed the way Rhae would stare fondly at the picture behind the closed door. Celine needed to find a way to get rid of it with her abilities as a sleepwalker. She thought that she could influence Rhae to forget her friends, but her plan didn't come to fruition.

"Rhae, it's just photos. You can make more in Japan after you take your oath."

Celine almost ripped the photos from Rhae's grip yet she only held on to it. Celine was having none of Rhae's behaviour and almost used her magic to force Rhae's photo fly out of her grip. However, before she could do it, Mary, her sister, was marching towards the room. Celine let go of her photographs while Rhae only glared at her.

"Sister, there you are. Porters are here. There are some of your belongings –is everything okay?"

Mary noticed the tension in the room and her maternal instinct kicked in. Something happened between the two of them before she came here. How Rhae clutched her precious photo in her grip, Mary had already found her answer. It didn't take a genius to find out what's wrong. Celine tried to interfere with Rhae's relationship again. Mary had already warned her every time she tried to interfere. Of course, Celine didn't heed her warning. That woman was thick in the head.

To hide her nervous tick, Celine sucked harder the cigarette. Mary noticed it right away and cocked her head so that Celine could be on her mary way. Celine only rolled her eyes and glanced to her niece. She caressed her face, but Rhae leaned away from her. Celine's hand hovered where Rhae's face used to be but regained her composure right away. She stared at her niece quite hard in the eye so that her unspoken words would be heard.

"_This is not over yet, young lady."_

She smoothed out the wrinkles in her suit and made her way out of the room, leaving Rhae in Mary's care. Rhae exhaled in relief after Celine left the room. She didn't even notice that she had been holding it. She tried to smoothen the crinkled photographs with her palm. Mary noticed a few tears slip through Rhae's eyes. The latter, however, didn't even notice it at all. Celine was always hard on Rhae and Mary noticed that. It was never easy on Rhae and being a softie Mary was easy to be swayed. Her sister told her many times that it would be the death of herself, but she could care less.

Rhae choked on her tears as she settled with her reality. She won't be coming back here again. Her friends will forget about her. The trace of her will disappear as time pass by. Her sadden thoughts were notice by Mary. The latter embraced her tightly, stroking Rhae's ash blonde hair. Rhae did the same as she held Mary tight. The reality that she would be leaving came crashing down on her. Her aunties who never made contact with people outside the coven, they couldn't relate with Rhae.

To her, friends meant everything. They were the ones who could make you laugh in your darkest moments. The ones who would be there for you no matter how bitchy you were. Who would be there for you when your family couldn't understand you. She would be losing them this day. After all, phone calls can only do a few things.

Even though her friends had already thrown her a big farewell party, it felt as if she was missing something. What was it? She didn't know herself. For that, she cried even harder. Mary, on the other hand, couldn't stand her crying.

She thought of a plan that would probably get her killed. But she knew that plan would at least put a smile on Rhae's face. With Rhae being her favourite niece –don't tell Adisa though, he will be upset –she would do it. Mary hushed Rhae's wailing and wiped some of her tears. It was pouring down like rain, earlier. Now, she began to quiet down a bit.

"Why would aunt Celine do that?" Rhae pondered to herself.

Mary didn't know what to say, honestly. To put it lightly, Celine was always the bitch of the family. Her actions were questionable at times, even if her intentions were good. Rhae, however, is a teenager. Her perception still limited.

"Aunt Celine … is a very complicated person. She always did some questionable things and even her family sometimes wonder. But know this, aunt Celine never meant any harm in what she did. You are still a part of this family. She will do anything to keep you safe."

* * *

Mary left Rhae in the empty room. The former need to inspect a few boxes from the kitchen before the porter loaded them to the truck. Knowing Celine, she would be of no help. When she arrived, Mary was right. Celine only stood there, ordering few porters to be careful of their belongings, a lit cigarette between her fingers. Celine's favourite Vera Lynn was still playing in the background. Celine noticed Mary coming down from upstairs, high likely comforting Rhae.

Celine knew that she need to harden Rhae's heart. She thought that it was too soft. She wouldn't survive in the coven with a heart like that. Worst case scenario, she would be harrowed for having mortal friends. A witch whom friends with mortals are a fool. So many risk and heartaches that Celine didn't want for Rhae. However, she couldn't tell it to Rhae. It wasn't that simple and she is still a child. Rhae couldn't possibly understand.

"You could have told her the truth, Celine," Mary said.

Mary didn't agree with Celine's way of raising sometimes. Their way of raising Rhae was different. Celine respected that yet she still thought that Mary's way made Rhae soft. A soft witch had no place in the coven and could be easy picking. A witch heart's needs to be vigilant. Celine thought that her way of raising will make Rhae's heart compatible with her new environment, even though Rhae will hate her for it. She didn't care as long as Rhae could survive. But Mary didn't share the same thought.

"In time, Mary. She will know why we do this." Celine ended the conversation there, not wanting to discuss more of this.

Mary only sighed at her stubborn attitude while the other Sparda ignored it. Celine told the kids to hurry up and marched her way to the front porch, waiting for them. Mary took out her phone and punched the screen for the familiar number. She needed to make a few calls for her surprise. After all, it was the only thing she could do for Rhae.

* * *

The spinning vinyl came to silence before the last track played. The Sparda didn't pay attention to it as they were too busy with moving the boxes. Somehow this song hit too close to home for them. The first lyric was the wish of a person. Where she wished she could meet her friends again. To see the blue sky that will drive the dark clouds away once again. Her feet hit the last stair of her old home. The bare walls of her home nailed the reality to her.

She stopped the spinning vinyl by pointing at it but the song that had been playing still play in her mind. It disappeared into thin air, packed with their belongings. She turned away from her empty home and closed the door behind her. She knew that she would come back here, some sunny day.

The last verse of the song ended at the same time as the click of the door.


End file.
